Do You Suffer from Learned Helplessness ?

CRONKITE Tue Jul 29, 2014 8:54am ESTComments Off on Do You Suffer from Learned Helplessness ?

“Why won’t America stand up for herself? Why is the country, once a country which possessed courage and conviction , now sitting idly while allowing itself to be taken to the slaughter without so much as a whimper?

The answer to the above question lies in the psychological concept known as “Learned Helplessness” as discovered by Martin Seligman.

“Learned helplessness” occurs when an animal is repeatedly subjected to an aversive stimulus that it cannot escape. Eventually, the animal will stop trying to avoid the stimulus and behave as if it is utterly helpless to change the situation. Even when opportunities to escape are presented, this learned helplessness will prevent any action”

Learned Helplessness

Phase One

In the first phase of the learned helplessness experiment, Seligman placed a dog on an electrical grid, shocked the dog and noted that the dog would demonstrate the ability to escape the aversive stimulus.

Phase Two

In the second phase, the dog was barricaded on the grid and was unable to escape the painful shocks. Eventually the dog laid down and passively accepted the shock.